


Twice the Speed of You and Me

by agent_orange



Category: Generation Kill
Genre: 1 Sentence Fiction, Curtain Fic, Domestic, M/M, Wrestling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 07:40:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2016618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agent_orange/pseuds/agent_orange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes it seems surreal to Nate that they live like this, act like normal people, when their lives were on the line not that long ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twice the Speed of You and Me

Written for [](http://1sentence.livejournal.com/profile)[**1sentence**](http://1sentence.livejournal.com/). Thanks to [](http://damelola.livejournal.com/profile)[**damelola**](http://damelola.livejournal.com/) for looking it over.

**i: motion**

The waves lap at Nate's feet and ankles, the same steady rhythm he falls asleep to later, after Brad finishes surfing and they fuck on the couch.

**ii: cool**

They spend the next day at the beach, too, and when Nate nods off in his chair, book in hand, Brad wakes him up by dumping a bucket of ice on Nate's head, laughing like Nate's shocked face is the funniest thing he's ever seen.

**iii: young**

Nate runs in the morning, the only time he can—when the day's still new and there's the promise of a fresh start still waiting for him, unspoiled and hopeful.

**iv: last**

Before they leave California, they visit Brad's parents, which goes better than Nate expected; Brad's mom loves him, and Brad's father shakes Nate's hand, says, "It's an honor, Captain."

**v: wrong**

"You didn't tell them about us, did you?" Nate asks after they leave; Brad replies, "Not a chance; my mom would start bugging you about when we're having kids," and his smile shows he's only half-joking.

**vi: gentle**

Sometimes it seems surreal to Nate that they live like this, act like normal people (watching TV at night, Nate rests his feet in Brad's lap, Brad's fingers skimming over his toes), when not that long ago, they were in Iraq, lives on the line; still, Nate wouldn't trade this life for the one they used to lead.

**vii: one**

All it would've taken for them to get caught was a single slip-up, a comment that should've gone unsaid, and it's possible someone else knew—they were _Recon Marines_ , for fuck's sake—but thankfully, they survived mostly unscathed.

**viiii: thousand**

Most times, Nate's gone when Brad wakes up, but he leaves coffee brewing, a note on the bedside table, though today, Brad finds, "I will follow you to the ends of the world," scrawled on his ribs, Nate's neat lettering distorted a little by the curves of Brad's body.

**ix: king**

He comes home with a weary look on his face, messenger bag slung over one shoulder, to find Brad with a copy of _KING_ in one hand and his dick in the other.

**x: learn**

"If you...miss women," Nate starts, but Brad shakes his head— _"I was just getting ready for you."_

**xi: blur**

In theater, days blended together, one clusterfuck, rocky grave, and MRE after the other, and the endless stretch of desert didn't do anything to help the monotony; now, everything's crisp, clearly defined, with schedules and plans and dinner when Nate gets home.

**xii: walt**

Brad's still not sure how Ray got his— _their_ —number, but he calls sometimes, and Brad picks up his better judgment, listening as Ray talks: "Walt has cock-sucking lips," he whines, "and really nice abs, is that gay?"

**xiii: change**

Winter comes as a shock to Brad, after a life of sand and glinting California sun, but he adjusts, buying warmer clothes and wrapping himself around Nate at night.

**xiv: command**

Brad's bossy in bed: _take off your pants; fuck yourself on your fingers for me; shut up and let me suck your dick,_ and Nate's fine with letting someone else take control now.

**xv: hold**

"Can't let yourself get civilian soft, sir," Brad says, straddling Nate's chest, keeping him pressed against the hardwood floor.

**xvi: need**

"Are you saying I should work out more?" Nate asks, bucking Brad off; managing to get him into a headlock, Nate adds, "Because I can still kick your ass."

**xvii: vision**

Before Iraq, Nate saw people as mostly good, the world as what it could be; now, that's not something he can really do—everything's hard-edged, tinted dull grey.

**xviii: attention**

He can't help notice the bad in people, wonder what kind of things they're capable of, but never Brad: Ray says they both think the other can walk on water, and he's not completely wrong.

**xix: soul**

Feeling anything, even if it's fear or sadness, is better than not feeling anything at all, but some days, Nate doesn't get to choose which it is.

**xx: picture**

Brad takes pictures of everything before he leaves: their apartment, and food, but mostly, the camera's memory card fills up with shots of Nate sleeping, Nate working on his book, Nate laughing, and of course, Nate in bed—Brad needs something to jack off to while he's away.

**xxi: fool**

"I could die, you know," Brad says, "So if you don't want to do this, here's your way out," which is the stupidest thing Nate's heard anyone say in a long time.

**xxii: mad**

He's not angry that Brad's leaving again; it's a fact he's resigned himself to—the Corps will always need him, and Nate will always be there when Brad gets back.

**xxiii: child**

It's like his baby (well, that and Ray, and Nate's got to put up with both of them).

**xxiv: now**

Against his better judgement, Nate counts down the days until Brad's flight leaves, until it's the day of and he's helping Brad go over his checklist for the third time.

**xxv: shadow**

Brad shaves his head just before he goes, tufts of hair falling into the sink as the razor buzzes; it makes the little lines on his forehead stand out, makes him look older.

**xxvi: goodbye**

The airport's buzzing with people, and Nate can barely hear himself think over the hum of conversation and the automated reminders, but he tucks his head under Brad's chin and just stands there, ignoring the fact that they're in public just this one time.

**xxvii: hide**

After Brad leaves, Nate sleeps for three days, not even caring that he misses his classes.

**xxviii: fortune**

You don't join the military to get rich, but you do get by, and that's all Brad's asking for; they're both less fucked-up than some of the other guys, and money can't buy that.

**xxix: safe**

This time around, Brad's doing more neighborhood patrols and actual Recon missions; Nate can't figure out if that puts him more at risk, or less.

**xxx: ghost**

_It feels like something's missing_ , Brad writes in an email to Nate, _this whole fucking_ city's _empty_.

**xxxi: book**

Without Brad (who needs everything in its place) there, Nate's textbooks start to pile up around the apartment; in the mornings, he navigates through them like they're land mines.

**xxxii: eye**

It's too quiet without Brad around, especially in the evenings; sometimes, when he's lying alone in bed, he actually misses their fights, and the calm after the storm.

**xxxiii: never**

His nightmares are full of worst-case scenarios, like Brad getting blown up by a roadside bomb, his dog tags the only part of him that makes it out, and he always wakes up sweating afterward.

**xxxiv: sing**

Nate only sings in the shower (he's embarrassed to do it without the tiled walls and closed door to contain his voice), so when Brad catches him, he flushes all the way to his chest and thinks he'll never be able to live it down, but Brad just says _you sounded good_.

**xxxv: sudden**

His time at Harvard flies by, and then one day he's graduating, and Brad's not there to see it.

**xxxvi: stop**

When the deadlines for the jobs Nate's been offered start closing in, he gets overwhelmed; without Brad there, it's hard to know if he should stay in Cambridge or move (D.C., San Diego, New York).

**xxxvii: time**

He takes the job in San Diego, which is just close enough to Pendleton, hoping it'll sit well with Brad.

**xxxviii: wash**

Doing laundry's cheaper now, and takes half the time; though Nate wouldn't admit it, he misses seeing his clothes all mixed in with Brad's.

**xxxix: torn**

He finds an old photo of them, from Iraq, in a pair of Brad's jeans one day, yellowed and stained from wear.

**xl: history**

There are some ticket stubs in a box; photos from OIF and Ray's wedding in there, too—they're _happy_ , and Nate wants Brad back so they can be again.

**xli: power**

He knows there's nothing he can do to make sure Brad comes home safely, but that doesn't stop Nate from wanting something.

**xlii: bother**

Some mornings, Nate doesn't know why he does it: he feels tired, worn-out from being in a relationship with someone who's gone so much, who hates talking about plans or emotions; sometimes he thinks _today's the day it happens_ , but then Brad smiles or makes a joke or hands Nate a cup of coffee, and they have a reprieve, until tomorrow, at least.

**xliii: god**

Brad doesn't believe in God—didn't before Iraq, and definitely doesn't believe now—but when he's got Nate on his knees, sucking Brad's cock like that's all he ever wants to do, Brad believes in _something_ , and thanks whatever that something is.

**xliv: wall**

There's something to be said for the merits of post-deployment sex: Brad pins Nate against the wall and fucks him, goes down on him in the shower, and still can't get enough, not after being away for so long.

**xlv: naked**

Brad's body has new scars: a silvery mark curving over his hip; scraped elbows, his roughened hands, and Nate learns them all.

**xlvi: drive**

In the morning, Brad takes his bike out, and for once, Nate goes along, the cool air whipping against his face.

**xlvii: harm**

It's the second most dangerous thing Nate's done since he left the Corps, and the adrenaline rushes hotly through his veins.

**xlviii: precious**

Nate knows he should be grateful for the time he has with Brad before he redeploys, but with that looming in the future, it's hard.

**xlix: hunger**

They stop for lunch at some taco stand off the interstate; Brad eats wordlessly and then steals the rest of Nate's.

**l: believe**

When they're done, Brad asks, "Where to? Officers never make wrong turns, so you can navigate," and Nate whacks him on the shoulder.


End file.
